Today's lifestyle of television, computers, and automobile driving has led to a decline in most people's posture. In general, that impaired posture is a combination of a forward head position, rounded shoulders, and raised shoulders. The forward head position causes, or is caused by, a shortening of some torso muscles and a corresponding lengthening of muscles in the back. Similarly, the rounded shoulders cause, or, are caused by shortening of upper chest muscles—the pee minor and the pectoralis; and involuntary lengthening of the upper back muscles, the trapezius, deltoid and rhomboid, and the neck muscles—lavatory, scapula and stenoid, thus creating both rounded shoulders and forward the head position.
In order to improve posture, it is desirable to lengthen specific torso muscles to permit a relaxation and shortening of the muscles in the back.
In one embodiment of the current invention, a set of six specific stretch exercises is performed three times per day in short sessions of 3-5 minutes. A seventh exercise is a final breathing sequence. Several posture-related measurements are provided, including a rib to hip measurement, a shoulder to shoulder measurement, and a sternum to shoulder measurement. Sustainable improvements in posture will be indicated by increased lengths of front muscles and decreased lengths of back muscles to create balance of the front and back muscles in these measurements.
Most forms of exercise aggravate a poor posture condition, and it is desirable to lengthen the torso muscles and to achieve a better balance before beginning exercise routines. It is desirable to approach the problem in the sequence of “lengthen—balance—strengthen”, which is a motto of the current invention.
The practice of stretching before exercise is common to many sports or activities, such as marathon runners, aerobics teachers, or the casual jogger. It is generally desirable to lengthen muscles before engaging in strengthening activities.
This lengthening is also important in posture improvement, but most people do not recognize the need to lengthen first, or they do not know how to accomplish that lengthening. To aggravate that problem, many common exercises, such as situps, only compound the posture problem by shortening muscles which should be lengthened.
One reason that exercise regimes fail is that they do not incorporate adequate muscle lengthening either in conjunction with muscle strengthening, or between the muscle strengthening exercises. One consequence of inadequate muscle lengthening is discomfort during exercise.
It is desirable to rotate the body upwards in order to relieve back and shoulder pain and to improve posture. Specific muscles must be lengthened to support this rotation. It is desirable to provide a group of “pre-exercises” to accomplish this muscle lengthening.
The muscle lengthening contributes to improved posture, which in turn leads to reduced stress, improved breathing, and improved appearance, and improved attitude.
Humans are not meant to function while being compressed and misaligned. Improper posture attacks the digestive system, lungs, and liver, everything in the midsection of the body. The lungs are forced to take shallow breaths. The stomach tries to digest food while compressed. The entire digestive tract is like a garden hose tied in knots. Improved posture may also lead to reduced symptoms of TMJ, carpal tunnel syndrome, and prostate conditions. With TMJ if the front shoulder muscles are lengthened and the back muscles are shortened and therefore the forward head position is reduced, this will allow the jaw the freedom to move back into proper alignment. With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome the body is pulled forward and the back muscles are stretched to inappropriate lengths which can cause nerves to be pinched and the blood flow to be constricted causing a stagnation down the arm much like having a tourniquet on the upper are close to the shoulder. Many other lower abdominal problems can be caused by the same shortening of the front muscles and lengthening of the back muscles. This compression continues to inhibit these major organs from working up to their capacity. The current invention efficiently addresses those alignment and compression problems by providing a short series of stretches that are specifically targeted at aligning the spine from the cervical to the sacrum.
Recently, posture has become a popular topic. Magazines, newspapers, and talk shows are frequently suggest ideas on how to improve posture. Some techniques suggest that a person imagine holding a string coming out of the top of his or her head like a marionette. Other techniques suggest pelvic thrust positions that resemble a shaking “S”.
Although there are many suggested techniques for improving posture, most people's muscles, particularly women's muscles, are not lengthened enough to perform those techniques comfortably or effectively.
Most bodies are not ready for today's exercise without preparation of sufficient muscle lengthening. The way that a muscle is lengthened is important. Exercising a muscle that is out of its proper place can sometimes do more harm than good.
Good posture is a key to health, comfort and appearance. Many of us walk around with the front of our bodies shorter than the back. Shorter stomach muscles create an imbalance that may be difficult to notice. Lengthening these muscles, and balancing both sides of the body, gives a person a good start toward balance. The person has more energy to balance the rest of the body with greater ease.
If the front of the body is shortened, and the back muscles are lengthened out of their proper place, then the body is asked to work much too hard. After a while, these muscles produce pain in our shoulders or lower back. At this is the point, it is important to remember to stretch, and pull the body into balance. With increased awareness of posture, this balance can become more automatic.
The most common result of stress is fatigue. Sadly, we stress even more because we don't have enough energy to meet our obligations. This happens over and over each day, creating a build-up of lactic acid on our muscles. In this way, stress results in actual physical changes and triggers malfunctions in the body.
The accepted wisdom for years was that if you could do a hundred sit-ups every night you would have a flat stomach. However, for most people their body is forward most of the day. They do not know how to lengthen their stomach yet or have not been doing the lengthening stretches long enough. Nighttime comes and you may do a few stretches before you launch into your nightly attempt to do sit-ups to flatten your stomach. However, by building muscles that are still shortened, you further compress the ribcage. Thickening the stomach muscles creates more of a paunch than before. Your stomach muscle may become rock-hard, but without the benefits of lengthening them first, before you strengthen them with sit-ups, you will not flatten your stomach.
Posture affects body alignment, and body alignment affects everything. Your organs will have the room to function properly, pain will ease or disappear, and you will have more energy to do the things you have to and want to do. When good posture is the habit and slouching is uncomfortable, you will have achieved good body alignment.
Proper body alignment is essential for exercise to be effective, but we usually associate alignment only with our bones. The fascia and muscle—everytime you move your arm you move fascia along with muscle-alignment is equally important to the proper functioning of your body. Shortened muscles pull bones, bones pinch nerves, and pinched nerves equal pain. Proper body alignment starts with lengthened, properly positioned muscles.
The by-product of modern life—stress, depression, too much to do in too little time-leave us bent over from the burden of it all. This shortens the muscles in the front of our bodies and lengthens the ones in the back, just the opposite of what the body needs to function well.
Straightening your posture and loosening the muscles takes undue pressure of the disks that have been pulled out of place by tight, shortened muscles.
Nerves fire electrical impulses to every part of the body. When nerves are pinched and confined, they cannot function effectively and the result is pain. The nerves in the middle of the spine also generate pain, although the back may not be where you feel it. The control panel may be sending a signal of pain to your liver, for instance, even though the problem has its origin in your back. Lengthening the surrounding muscles relieves this pressure on the spine, which reduces the sensation of pain.
It is desirable to provide a simple sequence of stretches to address the posture misalignment.
It is desirable to provide a sequence of stretches that is consistent with a variety of more advanced exercises or massage treatments.
It is desirable to provide a short sequence of stretches that can be done easily at home or at work without special exercise equipment.
It is desirable to provide a sequence of stretches that can be easily remembered and executed in a particular sequence.
It is desirable to provide a simple and lightweight device to facilitate performing the stretches.
It is desirable to provide a set of measurements that will indicate improvement in posture, in order to encourage continued stretching and a progression toward more advanced exercise routines of choice.